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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671252">Blue Lake Blues</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophisticated_apple/pseuds/sophisticated_apple'>sophisticated_apple</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hollow Knight (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, additional warnings in the notes, here, im no writer but i love these two so, take my money and my heart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:35:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,365</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophisticated_apple/pseuds/sophisticated_apple</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Quirrel says he'd like a moment alone.</p>
<p>Tiso knew that was a lie.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Quirrel/Tiso (Hollow Knight)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Blue Lake Blues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Tw for implied suicide. it's not really talked about explicitly but it's quirrel at blue lake being interrupted</p>
<p>also i can't tag well but there's also a love confession here so yeehaw</p>
<p>i don't write much but here you gooooooo</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quirrel sat on rough, fine sand. The chill from the still waters of the lake in front of him felt sharp against his chitin. He sighed, breathing in the cool blue of the water's vapor, taking in every sense he could. He was relaxing.<br/>Stalling.<br/>Quietly his hands drifted to his nail, eyes focusing on the rocks on the cave walls, reflecting the same color back onto itself. With his weapon in hand he pushed himself forward, closer to the water, colored fog feeling thicker in his chest. With a casual yet practiced motion of his wrist, he turned the nail to the water, pressing the tip of it against the unmoving surface.<br/>He thought about the rain under him. About how it was flooding the city, every building soaking it in like a sponge, much to the dismay of the inhabitants. How many people have died there?<br/>He felt, more than heard, another presence entering the moment. It felt tense. He leaned over the edge, seeing his reflection, not so much looking his age and more feeling it.<br/>"Welcome, Tiso," he said, the words rolling off his tongue more naturally than they should have. Most likely because he'd rehearsed this. Prepared for it.<br/>"I don't feel too welcome here," the bug replied, his snarky tone feeling harsher in the cold air. "This is boring."<br/>Quirrel turned back to look at him, his eyes drawn to his. He slowly pulled his nail out of the water, only now realizing he'd absentmindedly sunk it in farther than he intended. "Would you rather me put on a show for you," he asked, "if you want a performance you should go back to Dirtmouth. I heard a circus recently made itself at home there."<br/>Tiso scoffed, slowly walking to Quirrel. "I'm not looking to be entertained." His voice softened as he said, "I'm looking for company. I'd a feeling you'd be here."<br/>"Oddly sweet, coming from you," Quirrel laughed, a heavy feeling replaced the air he'd breathed. "I'm sorry to ask you this, especially now, but… I'd prefer to be alone for a bit."<br/>Sand shifted as Tiso sat, grounding himself near the edge, right next to where Quirrel was. "I know what you're doing."<br/>The heavy feeling he had twisted into a painful, sharp dread. The bright blue seemed to shift with the feeling, dulling itself down, settling, even.<br/>"How'd you guess?"<br/>"I didn't 'guess,' Quirrel. I had a feeling. Like I said." It was very clear he was trying his hardest to be soft, to speak in a low voice, as if there was a crowd around them and they'd know everything if he didn't whisper. "I…"<br/>"Tiso," he started, his voice taking on a comforting, but firm tone. "You don't have to force yourself to be something you're not. I've lived a life, a good one, and I-"<br/>"Don't even start with that 'lived,' bullshit, you're still alive. You're breathing and talking and… listening. A- And you have more to do and things to learn and-" he took a sharp breath. Quirrel put a hand on his shoulder.<br/>"My friend. You're very important to me, but… I feel like I'm weighing you down. You don't need to worry about me. Our time together was short, but sweet, but I'd rather it end before you go home. You'll have a wonderful story to tell."<br/>Tiso's voice was close to breaking. "What the hell are you talking about? What- What do you think I'm here for? Quirrel you're not a lost cause. You're here. You-- You…" He faltered. He hid his eyes behind his hood.<br/>Quirrel placed one of his hands into his. He gently pulled it down, pressing the palm into the sand with his.<br/>"Tiso, don't you see?" The nail he'd long since lost grip of was pushed to the side in favor of Quirrel turning to him. "I've no place here, in Hallownest. I don't fit anymore."<br/>"Shut up!" Tiso shouted, his voice ringing off of the cave walls, straining against the choked ball in his throat. "Shut up about Hallownest, shut up about your place here! If you feel unfit I will carve your mould so you will! Better yet, I'll make a place for you myself! with me! You fit here, Quirrel, you have your own space, your perfect size and shape, just how you'd left it! It grew cold empty without you, it's unfamiliar, but wyrm below it is yours."<br/>"Tiso-"<br/>Tiso pulled him into an embrace. Hugged onto him so tightly, so carefully, raw with all the emotions of a grieving man.<br/>"Quirrel, Quirrel, I love you. Can't you see? I love you so much and it hurts me to see you like this," his voice almost shook the lake to ripples and waves unseen. "I'm not ready to say it but I need to." His grip on him tightened, like his grip onto his shield, clinging for a life that wasn't his.<br/>"I love you so much I'll make a space for you myself. I'll give you everything you need to get better because damnit, I-... You're hurt. Bad. But I know you can get better with help. I want to help." Tiso's voice finally broke.<br/>Quirrel's body relaxed. He sank into his hold with his own, pushing him closer to his body and burying his face into Tiso's blue armor. Tiso put his against the side of Quirrel's head, sobbing into it. They sat like that for a long while.<br/>Quirrel was the first to pull back, holding Tiso's face with his head. His eyes were now wet with tears, and the sight itself reminded Quirrel of his own. He tried wiping Tisos stray tears away, only to be stopped by Tiso pushing his hand off his face. He guessed that he wasn't used to feeling this vulnerable.<br/>"Oh, Tiso," he started, "you mean so much to me."<br/>He remembered back to his Archival Assistant days. It was foggy, but he knew most of his time was spent learning from Madam Monomon, that he lived day-to-day, drifting along each lesson soaking up his knowledge like a sponge.<br/>"Madam," he'd asked one day, curiosity boiling over. "Where's my place?"<br/>He saw the look on monomons face, and knew well she was hiding the sarcastic answer of directing him to his bedroom. "Why," she'd started, taking on that motherly tone he knew well, "it's here with me. In Hallownest."<br/>The news of her duties hit him like a tram. Once they were fulfilled, he'd wandered aimlessly around the caves of Hallownest, looking for a Quirrel shaped hole that was carved somewhere for him, so he could lie in it and sleep. His exploration led him outside, past the quiet little town, far beyond the strong winds of the cliffs, and separating his tie with Hallownest by forgetting everything he knew about it.<br/>He felt alone until he'd met Tiso. All the others he met were remnants of his past, of the memories he couldn't remember, of the connection he lost with it permanently. And while it was nice to talk to Hornet, reconnect with her like they were kids again, Tiso was completely new. All the memories he'd have of him were fresh, clean, not clouded by his days outside but cleared by the days he spent in. He was frustrating to deal with occasionally, his brash and loud nature clashing with his calm and collected, but that was the fun of him. He was his opposite, his foil, his reflection turned upside down, outward and bold and so feisty he couldn't help but find every interaction with him enriching. He was wonderful.<br/>He felt right in place with him.<br/>"You know," he started, "I love the idea of making a space with you. How about we make a space for us both, here?"<br/>Tiso laughed. "Of course you would. My company is very enjoyable! Everybody wants a chance to bask in my perfect image."<br/>"You're overstepping it," he said, but Quirrel laughed as well. He slowly took Tisos hand in his, looking at the intertwined fingers, and then looking at the bug across from him.<br/>"I love you, too."</p>
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